Time for 1 2-tank dive - Coz, Aventuras, Akumal, PDC?

[kyley]

Hi All,
Been diving for a little while, first post here... I'll be staying in Puerto Aventuras (Aventura Palace resort), but I'll only have time for one dive (wife factor) July 17-20. I'd prefer to stay close by, but if Cozumel is significantly better diving, I could take the time / $ to dive there (either with the ferry or more simply by diving with Tank-Ha dive center that takes a boat out to Cozumel from PDC). Diving right in Puerto Aventuras would obviously be the easiest... Cenotes sound neat, but not very interested right now (unless weather's bad).

Some things I'd like to see that I haven't seen before or would like to see more of:
whale shark (I know, not likely)
dolphins (I know, not likely)
giant grouper / jewfish
manta rays
morays
scorpion fish
anemones
turtles
etc.

I might be able to squeeze a night dive in if the wife's feeling nice Anyway, where would you go if you had time for just 1 two tank dive?

What dive shops? I've found these ones in Aventuras - all about the same price:
Pro Dive Mexico (don't know how much)
Dive Aventuras
Aquanauts
Diablo Divers

Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[scubawife]

Well, you won't get Manta's in this area (head to the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii), and for whalesharks THE place to go in the Yucatan in Holbox. There is a dolphin encounter (penned in dolphins and you pay to swim with them) right in Aventuras.... occassionally you will see pods of the coast and also in Cozumel but more in the winter then summer.

You should have plenty of turtles since it's nesting season. You'll also get moray, likely see grouper, lobster, rays (stingray, spotted ray), barracuda, grunts, jacks, squirel fish, lots of angels (gray, french, queen), tangs, butterfly, trumpet, wrasse, assorted other tropicals...

If you've only got one day to dive then I would say do a cenote with Dennis from Diablo Divers (he's also at Aquanuts if you want to do a day of ocean diving). The diving in Aventuras and Akumal is usually done as 3 single tanks trips at around 9am, 11:30 and 2pm (times differ slightly depending on the shop). So maybe you could do a 2 tank cenote and still sneak in a couple ocean tanks? Maybe the first one in the day before you have to go and do land based stuff with the wife?